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Category: Topical Research

Periodic articles that identify, analyze and interpret relevant topics of interest to sustainable investors and other interested stakeholders. Recent examples include efforts to allow underlying investors in a mutual fund or ETF to express their views on proxy voting. 

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Sustainable Investing Monitor-January 2026

Sustainable Bottom Line: Focused sustainable L-T funds trended lower again in December to end 2025 at $374.6 billion while selected sustainable indices trailed conventional counterparts. Long-Term Net Assets: Focused Sustainable Mutual Funds and ETFs The total net assets of focused sustainable long-term funds attributable to mutual funds and ETFs (excluding money market funds), based on… Continue reading about Sustainable Investing Monitor-January 2026

Sustainable Investing Monitor-December 1, 2025

Sustainable Bottom Line: Sustainable funds dip slightly lower in November, at $377.7 billion; no new funds were launched; three of six selected sustainable indices outperformed. Long-Term Net Assets: Focused Sustainable Mutual Funds and ETFs  The net assets of focused sustainable long-term funds attributable to mutual funds and ETFs (excluding money market funds), based on Morningstar… Continue reading about Sustainable Investing Monitor-December 1, 2025

Sustainable Investing Monitor-November 1, 2025

Sustainable Bottom Line: Sustainable focused long-term funds ended October at $380.01 billion; no new funds were launched; only two of six selected sustainable indices outperformed. Long-Term Net Assets: Focused Sustainable Mutual Funds and ETFs Focused sustainable long-term fund assets under management attributable to mutual funds and ETFs (excluding money market funds), based on Morningstar classifications,… Continue reading about Sustainable Investing Monitor-November 1, 2025

Focused sustainable funds: Visible but still a niche

Sustainable Bottom Line: Focused sustainable mutual funds and ETFs remain a niche segment, constrained by limited scale, the lack of standardization and uneven investor adoption. By most measures, the focused sustainable funds market segment qualifies as a niche product offering As of August 31, 2025, focused sustainable long-term mutual funds and ETFs—those that explicitly incorporate… Continue reading about Focused sustainable funds: Visible but still a niche

Sustainable Investing Monitor-October 1, 2025

Sustainable Bottom Line: Sustainable funds reached $374.1 billion in September, a month when no new funds were listed and four of six sustainable indices outperformed. Long-Term Net Assets: Focused Sustainable Mutual Funds and ETFs Focused sustainable long-term fund assets under management attributable to mutual funds and ETFs (excluding money market funds), based on Morningstar classifications,… Continue reading about Sustainable Investing Monitor-October 1, 2025

Sustainable Investing Monitor-September 1, 2025

Sustainable Bottom Line: Focused sustainable funds reached $367.7 billion in assets, with one new fund introduced, while only one of six selected sustainable indices outperformed. Long-Term Net Assets: Focused Sustainable Mutual Funds and ETFs Focused sustainable long-term fund assets under management attributable to mutual funds and ETFs (excluding money market funds), based on Morningstar classifications,… Continue reading about Sustainable Investing Monitor-September 1, 2025

Research

Research and analysis to keep sustainable investors up to-date on a broad range of topics that include trends and developments in sustainable investing and sustainable finance, regulatory updates, performance results and considerations, investing through index funds and actively managed portfolios, asset allocation updates, expenses, ESG ratings and data, company and product news, green, social and sustainable bonds, green bond funds as well as reporting and disclosure practices, to name just a few.

A continuously updated Funds Directory is also available to investors.  This is intended to become a comprehensive listing of sustainable mutual funds, ETFs and other investment products along with a description of their sustainable investing approaches as set out in fund prospectuses and related regulatory filings.

Getting started

Many questions have surfaced in recent years regarding sustainable and ESG investing.  Here, investors and financial intermediaries will find materials that describe the various approaches to sustainable investing and their implementation.  While sustainable investing approaches vary and they have thus far defied universally accepted definitions, many practitioners agree that they fall into the following broad categories:  Values-based investing, investing via exclusions, impact investing, thematic investments and ESG integration.  In conjunction with each of these approaches, investors may also adopt various issuer engagement procedures and proxy voting practices.  That said, sustainable investing approaches will continue to evolve.

In addition to periodic updates regarding sustainable investing and how this form of investing is evolving, investors and financial intermediaries interested in implementing a sustainable investing approach will also find source materials that cover basic investing themes as well as asset allocation tactics.

Inesting ideas

Thoughts and ideas targeting sustainable investing strategies executed through various registered and non-registered sustainable investment funds and products such as mutual funds, Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs), Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs), closed-end funds, Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) and Unit Investment Trusts (UITs). Coverage extends to investment management firms as well as fund groups. 

Independent source for sustainable investment management company research, analysis, opinions and sustainable fund disclosure assessments